Town Square

Dishonest politicians - another one added today

Original post made
by Joe, Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Nov 21, 2012

Locally we have Mary Hayashi and Ross Mirkarimi to look up to. I'm still dumbfounded that Hayashi hasn't resigned over her shoplifting conviction...what does she think, that her voters are going to forgive and forget and reelect her next election? And I'm thoroughly amazed that not only did Ross Mirkarimi not resign, but the SF supes voted to keep him in office after he was convicted of beating his wife. And now he's claiming that he's being picked on.

Then there's the George Shirakara debacle...good old George has been using his Santa Clara county-issued purchasing card for out-of-compliance meals, drinks, and trips. George, true to form, issued a statement today saying he's basically unrepentant. In the meantime the taxpayers of Santa Clara county are out $36,000.

The new one is the resignation of Jessie Jackson, Jr., from his congressional seat in Chicago. Wait a minute, wasn't he elected to that office two weeks ago last Tuesday? Well, yes, but in true Chicago tradition, now that he won, a replacement will be appointed by the Democratic machine in that city until a special election can be held. Shrewd move, Jessie. Officially, he resigned because of his health. He could have done the honorable thing and not run for reelection in the first place.

None of these individuals are honorable or are behaving with a shred of the decency toward their constituents.

Posted by Fact Checker
a resident of Downtown
on Dec 9, 2012 at 8:46 pm

Mary Hayashi was termed out and is no longer holding office. She ran unsuccessfully for County Supervisor last month but came in 3rd. Rumor has it she plans to run for State Senate in 2014, she does have quite a large campaign bank account.

Posted by Charmine
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Dec 9, 2012 at 9:20 pm

I think Joe should run for political office. Either that or set up a school so he could teach our ptown kids a lesson or two. You know, maybe insist that Kenton kid get a real facial tattoo instead of the fake one he used for his photograph.

Posted by Charmine again
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Dec 9, 2012 at 9:31 pm

Are we allowed to double post?

Well, as far as honest politicians goes, I think we should have elected Romney - you know, the guy so fond of proclaiming "I love data" but who was no friend of the truth. His gymnastic flip-flops and mind-bending mendacity aren't merely the stuff of legend, but produced a burgeoning cottage industry. (Just ask MSNBC's Steve Benen, whose chronicles of Romney's lies topped 970 entries and 40 volumes.) Virtually every major talking point Romney regurgitatedthat Obama "made the economy worse," that Obama "doubled the national debt," that "you built that," that Obama "guts welfare reform," that a rescued Chrysler was moving Jeep manufacturing jobs to Chinawas demonstrably untrue.

I guess Joe forgot to add Romney to his list because Joe, so honest himself, knew that Romney is probably the worst and therefore doesn't warrant mentioning. Thanks just the same, Joe. Do you mind if I call you Honest Joe? Whether as a pol or a teacher, I'm sure all of ptown will stand up and support your intelligence, objectivity, and above all, honesty.

Posted by Charmine
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Dec 12, 2012 at 11:48 am

This year, PolitiFact has singled out Mitt Romney's campaign ad that made an untrue claim about President Barack Obama, Chrysler, and jobs building Jeeps being sent to China. "It was a lie," says PolitiFact, "told in the critical state of Ohio in the final days of a close campaign."

In case you missed the controversy, PolitiFact offers a recap:

It originated with a conservative blogger, who twisted an accurate news story into a falsehood. Then it picked up steam when the Drudge Report ran with it. Even though Jeep's parent company gave a quick and clear denial, Mitt Romney repeated it and his campaign turned it into a TV ad.

In political media circles, the process described above is also known as "weekdays." But what perhaps set this occasion apart, PolitiFact says, is the fact that the Romney campaign stood by the ad "even after the media and the public expressed collective outrage against something so obviously false."

The remains of the Romney campaign team, all 700 or so (and some of whom still demanding a final raise before the tent is closed down), recently looking up from the posh dinner they were having at donor expense, stated the following:

Ads are propaganda by definition. We are in the persuasion business, the propaganda business…. Ads are agitprop…. Ads are about hyperbole, they are about editing. It's ludicrous for them to say that an ad is taking something out of context…. All ads do that. They are manipulative pieces of persuasive art.

And that about sums it up! Thanks again to Joe, who I'm sure will be pleased at this notice.